Choices pile up for Western University athlete Zack Harnden

He’s playing university hockey now instead of in the OHL, but one thing hasn’t changed for Zach Harnden. He’s still getting noticed by NHL clubs.

The 23-year-old Thunder Bay native has been invited to the Washington Capitals’ development camp next week in D.C. It’s the third time he’s been invited by an NHL club to a camp, having attended the San Jose Sharks’ training camp in 2009 and that of the Los Angeles Kings the following year. After the Kings’ camp, he signed a contract with their AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, but opted to enrol at Western in 2011 after a five-year OHL career (four with Peterborough, one with Kingston) in which he scored 82 goals and 94 assists in 331 regular-season and playoff games.

He had 20 goals and 20 assists in 34 games in his rookie season with the Mustangs and improved that to 27 goals and 17 assists in 31 games last season, when Western was upset in the OUA West semifinal by the Waterloo Warriors.

“It’s flattering, obviously,” he said Thursday of the Caps’ invitation. “It’s always nice to be noticed.”

This camp will be a little different, he said.

“This is my first time at a development camp and none of the NHL guys will be there,” he said. “You work out the whole week and you skate the whole week. I just want to go there and try my best. Obviously you want to impress the coaches and open up opportunities for after university.

“If anything, this will keep me in a lot better shape going into the university season. Just to get ready for this camp, I’ve had to work out harder than I would have normally at this time of year.”

A student at the Ivey School of Business, Harnden isn’t sure which direction his future will take.

“There are so many opportunities. Do I go into business? Do I play hockey in Europe or try the pro ranks here? I really don’t know, to be honest,” he said. “I’m more confused than ever, but you still feel like you want to take your best shot at whatever comes along.”

As for the Mustangs, Harnden said last season did have its positive side despite the early playoff exit.

“We went on a nice run in the season where we won 16 in a row, and that is something special. We definitely think we could have done well at nationals; we just couldn’t get past Waterloo.”

They get a chance to make up for it starting Oct. 11 with the start of the OUA season and a home game with the Concordia Stingers.